Wake up, Chicago Wolves fans; the 2024-25 season schedule has been announced! The team on X announced their schedule with a plethora of wolf references across television and movies. Ranging from the cartooned Big Bad Wolf to Remus Lupin from Harry Potter, the Wolves did not waste any time letting people know that the Wolves are ready to hunt for the Calder Cup Playoffs once again.

Furthermore, their NHL parent club, the Carolina Hurricanes, has been busy during the free agency period that started on July 1. While they have added some players like Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker to the main roster, general manager Eric Tulsky has also acquired some veterans who should be on their way to Rosemont this upcoming season. In the first installment of Wolves Weekly, I will be diving into the Wolves’ schedule along with some familiar AHL players who will possibly don the sweater for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Let us begin…

Beware of the Big Bad Wolf

While the American Hockey League (AHL) dropped schedules for all 32 of their teams, the Chicago Wolves leaned heavily into the big bad wolf, and fans should be excited for what’s to come in 2024-25 for the five-time Calder Cup Champs.

Upon first glance, the Wolves will begin their season at Allstate Arena for the home opener against the Milwaukee Admirals. It is another case of “Death, Taxes, the Chicago Wolves face the Admirals or Rockford IceHogs to start the season,” so it is not surprising, to say the least. After that, they will go on the road for a two-game set in Hershey against the back-to-back Calder Cup Champs for the first time since February 2006. It will be an early measuring stick game for the re-affiliated Wolves team, with Hurricanes prospects and veterans against a team like the Bears.

With the edition of the Bears, it seems like the amount of games versus the Cleveland Monsters they usually have decreased. In an age where AHL fans want more teams in different divisions, this is a win for two franchises known for their success. In November and December, see an exciting home-and-home set between the Wolves and the Admirals, with the first game being in Milwaukee and then in Rosemont. NHL fans thought their scheduling was wild; they have not seen anything yet regarding the AHL. The Wolves will have another interesting test to their schedule when they face three different teams in three straight days. They will take on the Grand Rapid Griffins (Nov. 15), the Manitoba Moose (Nov. 16), and the IceHogs (Nov. 17) before they face two of those teams again on a three-game road trip. Furthermore, that three games in three days trio starts with them being on the road in Grand Rapids. Eat your heart out, AHL schedulers.

The Schedule Chaos Continues

As the calendar turns to December, the chaos continues as the Wolves play three games in three days versus the Griffins, with game one of the trio being in Michigan. That follows up a Griffins game in between an IceHogs home-and-home set. Once again, it makes you wonder who makes these schedules. It’s understandable to have new faces on the schedule like the Bears and the Coachella Valley Firebirds (thank goodness a new city), but these weird complex games are mind-boggling. December ends with two home-and-home back-to-back sets versus the Iowa Wild and the Admirals to wrap up the calendar year of 2024—simplicity at its finest.

One of the things that benefit the Wolves’ is that after the 2025 All-Star Break that will be held in Palm Desert, CA (home of the Firebirds), they will not have to travel far to face the Bakersfield Condors to start the second half of the season. The month of March sees the Wolves stay in the friendly confines of Allstate Arena for most of the time. Outside of the five road games, they will play nine games at home in the penultimate month of the season. However, they will have two home games in the season’s last three weeks, with six on the road. The Wolves will finish the season at home on Apr. 19 versus rival IceHogs (start the season with rival Admirals, end with the IceHogs, shocker).

It’ll be an interesting season for the Wolves, who look to bounce back from missing the playoffs in the last two seasons. However, with them re-affiliating with the Hurricanes, they will see an influx of high-end prospects coming their way to help bolster the roster. Also, they will benefit from having some veteran presence with the parent club, adding depth for them and having guys with AHL experience to help guide the younger players along. Who is possibly coming to Rosemont in the fall?

Adding Veteran Presence

During the chaos that was the first week of free agency, the Hurricanes did sign some depth players who will likely make their way to Rosemont in the fall. One of the players who should be familiar to them is forward Josiah Slavin. Slavin played the 2023-24 season with the Toronto Marlies, where he tallied 10 goals and 24 points in 70 games. He also spent time with the IceHogs before being traded to the San Diego Gulls during the 2022-23 season. Slavin will bring a familiar sense of how to play in the Central Division with the Wolves for the next two seasons. While Slavin won’t shoot the lights out or be a prolific goal scorer, he can provide the two-way play that could help the team overall. He is an opportunistic scorer who can score on rebounds or when the shot presents itself. Furthermore, his experience in the AHL can help the Wolves make a push for the Calder Cup Playoffs since he missed the last two seasons, along with helping mentor the prospects.

Two or three other guys who can possibly provide help for the upcoming 2024-25 season are forwards Tyson Jost, Eric Robinson, and defenseman Riley Stillman. Stillman played most of the 2023-24 season with the Rochester Americans in the AHL, tallying two goals and six points in 47 games. The 114th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft has been moved to multiple franchises over his young career. He has been part of the Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver Canucks, and most recently the Buffalo Sabres alongside Jost and Robinson.

Jost has a chance to prove himself as a 26-year-old center either with the Hurricanes or the Wolves. The St. Albert, Alberta native tallied three goals and six points in 43 games for the Sabres. Furthermore, he accumulated four goals and 14 points with the Americans. He is a versatile center who can be used in all situations. He is an AHL veteran who plays in the North Division and can help bolster the roster while being someone the young guys could lean on as the season progresses.

Robinson tallied two goals and nine points in 40 games with the Buffalo Sabres and one goal in seven games for the Columbus Blue Jackets. His best season came back in 2021-22, with 10 goals and 27 points in 67 games for the Blue Jackets. There is a good chance he will be with the Wolves to show the young guys how it is to grind in the AHL while knowing how to become a pro before making it to the NHL. While he might not pop off with the Hurricanes, being a mentor with the Wolves could also go a long way while keeping his career going.

Those are just some possible additions the Wolves could see coming to Rosemont in the fall. More players should come that way to help fill out the roster for what is hopefully another Calder Cup playoff appearance. Furthermore, it could become another chance for a sixth Calder Cup Trophy.

Exciting Time Ahead for the Wolves

While the last two seasons have been disappointing for the Wolves, it seems that the 2024-25 season will be the resurrection of the Big Bad Wolves that people in the AHL have known over the years. The influx of high-end prospects with the mix of veterans in the NHL and AHL will help bolster the lineup for AHL rookie head coach Cam Abbott. It should be an exciting season for the Wolves fans in Rosemont and the Hurricanes fans back in Raleigh. To see the AHL team succeed while watching the prospect development grow will benefit both sides as the new era has begun for both franchises. Now, the only thing remains: I am waiting for October to get here.